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| My one day old child - Avin |
Every child should be loved deeply and wholeheartedly... Lio, Dec 2016
Hi guys, I just want to share my second experience with pregnancy in this post for my parent-to-be readers. It is actually my diary, in the form of short notes, on my pregnancy journey on random weeks. Hope it gives you some form of relief or help. Enjoy the read.
My Pregnancy Diary13 weeks per trimester
1st Trimester (week 1-13)
Week 5
The all-day nausea kicks in!
Plus fatigue, dizziness, headache, constipation, frequent, non-stop and all-day urination, waking up to pee 2-3 times at night, insomnia despite being very tired, total change of palate (e.g. stop eating my usual breakfast, apples, etc.).
Facial acne breakouts, painful and swelling breasts, alternating between having very cold (chills) and very hot (heats) spells in a short span of minutes. One moment I'm trembling in cold, and then next moment I'm heating up and sweating.
Had lots of dreams at night. All funny, lovely, scary, and meaningless ones.
Having bad cough for 3 to 4 months due to atopy (hay fever).
Everyday is unbearable.
Week 6
1st appointment with Doctor (ob/gyn) - very excited. Nausea kicks in full swing especially when stomach is empty. Almost feel like vomiting all the time but didn't - just felt very nauseated. I carry a plastic bag with me all the time, just in case.
Constant headaches esp. in this period of haze and joss paper burning. I feel like running away when I see smokers on the streets. All the smoke gives me throbbing head pain.
No more constipation 😄
Did not exercise due to overall weakness, but continue to do all the housework.
Weight gain steady - at about 0.5kg per week.
To curb nauseousness, I ate lots of ice popsicles made of fruit juice, Milo, milk, milk tea. I also popped pieces of frozen fruit in my mouth.
Week 8
Feeling nauseous the moment I wake up.
Everything seems to be in a blur to me. Not much energy left in my body, even walking is a chore.
Every smell (food, perfume, surroundings) seems to increase nauseousness.
Nothing tastes good 😢
Hot and stale weather makes things worse. The haze is here on and off. Having a breath of fresh air is getting more and more difficult. Finally bought an air purifier with humidifier - instant fresh air! Yay.
Week 9
Torturous, scorching hot, humid days. Rain makes it worse.
Feel like puking whole day.
Dizzy and tired.
Still having chills and heat spells, since week 5. One moment I feel like melting and sweating, next moment I feel extremely cold till I get goosebumps and I'll wrap myself up like an Eskimo. Unbearable feeling.
Doctor said to measure my temperature when I get the heaty spells. And if I hit above 37.5 degrees Celsius, meaning if I have a fever, I'll have to pop a panadol. Fever can cause miscarriage.
Had herbal chicken soup cooked with 'dang gui' and had a bad bout of stomach ache. Had some common street (pasar malam) food and had 3 days of upset stomach again. Fear of miscarriage. But luckily, nothing happened.
2nd Trimester (week 14-27)
Week 18
Finally pulled through to the 2nd trimester...
Nauseousness has finally began to vanish, like magic. Yippie!
Heats and chills have completely stopped 😁
Change of palate again: no longer craving for spicy and sour food like tom yam, curry, peppery soup, chilli, kimchi, achar, pickled chilli, orange, kiwi, pineapple, green apple, etc.
No more obvious food cravings
Sometimes, don't feel like eating at all. Yet sometimes feel like eating 2 meals at one go.
Painful inner thighs, with painful varicose veins.
Felt baby's movements!
Week 22
Detailed baby scan at NUH fetal care centre. We could see all parts of baby clearly - heart, bones, brains, even the face! It's amazing. Didn't remember having this scan for my first child. Everything looks fine. Very happy.
Nauseousness came back in unexpected waves 😩
Can't put on too much weight lest my plantar fasciitis (heel spur) acts up again, and making me unable to walk for days.
Week 25
Baby super kicks!
Nauseousness has finally stopped 😊 but heartburn begins.
Tummy getting bigger and tighter and people have started to notice.
Feeling breathless and bloated thus eating less. But still putting on 1kg every 2 weeks, which is within the recommended weight gain range.
Ate ice popsicles after every meal to cool down because of the humid weather
Did not exercise like I did for my first pregnancy. But still doing a lot of housework.
PS: No weight gain from week 27 to week 29 but thankfully, baby's weight more than doubled (0.6kg at week 26 to 1.45kg at week 30)
3rd Trimester (week 28-40)
Week 31
The craving for sour food returns. Ate a lot of pineapple, green apple, big oranges, guava with plum powder, Subway's chicken teriyaki with cheese and all vegetables with red wine vinegar sauce. And then there are my food court favourites: Korean Saba fish meal with kimchi, vegetarian noodle with sweet and sour tofu, Indonesian chicken set meal. Basically, my diet consists of a lot of chicken, cheese, fish, tofu, fruits and vegetables. Skipped all the vitamins that doctor prescribed, since I ate so consciously and healthily. As eating certain vitamins or supplements (e.g. calcium) can trigger the dreaded constipation!
Felt Braxton Hicks contractions - slightly painful tightening of my tummy. It was as clear as taxes! Didn't have this in my first pregnancy, so it caught me by surprise.
Had 2 bouts of diarrhea episodes that lasted for 2-3 days.
Sleepless nights. Very tired, yet can't fall asleep. Still waking up every night for 1-3 bathroom trips. In the daytime, felt the need to go bathroom every other hour, sometimes within 15 minutes.
Weight gain about 10kg
Continual hair loss
Feet swelled up on 2 occasions only. Prevented this by raising up my leg whenever I sit down.
Week 32
Zika fear! The virus has reached Singapore. Moms around the world are having newborns with 'small head syndromes' (also called microcephaly). It is every parent's nightmare. Apply mosquito repellent every single time I head out.
Had diarrhea again for the 3rd time, for 3 days. Does not seem like food poisoning, just 'pregnancy diarrhea'.
Sleeping and eating more normally now. Had lots of dreams again (is that you BFG?)
Digestion is good, still no constipation and piles, but has a little heartburn.
Feeling heavier and more tired.
Hair loss seems to slow down, finally.
Feels grateful every time doctor says baby is FINE.
Feels grateful every time baby gives a kick or swirls inside me. It means that he's alive. My first child (6 years old) sees and feels those baby movements all the time too and is getting increasingly excited to see his little brother.
Getting everything really ready: Baby car seat, cot, beddings, clothings, hospital bag, and shortlisted list of confinement food caterers and Malay massage ladies. Confinement bath herbs with pails and thermal containers for red date tea are all on standby mode as well.
Still not exercising for this pregnancy but did a lot of housework. Washed down toilets, wiped down windows, cooked, washed and changed bedsheets, swept and mopped floor, did the almost daily laundry, carried groceries home, and walked a lot while running personal or family errands. Research finds that these activities are as good as having moderate exercise if done at least 5 days every week for at least 30 mins each time. At least 150 mins per week of deliberate physical movement is good enough for health.
Week 33
No weight gain from week 30 to week 34. But baby is still gaining (1.8kg). Doctor said to drink more milk, eat more eggs and even durian to gain more weight for this final stretch.
Eating Subway's chicken teriyaki with honey oat bread, at least 3 times a week. Love it. Had lots of fish, tofu, nuts in moderate amounts (a handful per day of almonds, walnuts, cashews, and pistachios), cheese, chicken, vegetables and fruits (esp. pineapple, guava, watermelon, green apples, dried cranberries). Had occasional snack like biscuit, dark chocolate, waffles and ice cream.
PS: I ate a lot of pineapple (thrice per week, a slice each time) for 2nd and 3rd trimester, but I totally avoided it in my 1st trimester to avoid miscarriage.
Week 35
Lower back pain keeping me awake day and night, can't sleep throughout the night, waking up every 20 - 40 minutes. Arghhhh...
Tummy getting heavier, tighter and rock hard. Can see baby kicks clearly on tummy, almost can see his hands or legs when he kicks. Feel a weighty pressure on my groin area.
My outie (protruding belly button) now looks almost like an early hernia. I'm praying it's not!
Getting more and more difficult to breathe, eat, move, get up and walk. Wish everything can end soon. Getting very bored, sick and tired.
But everything seems to be in place now. Just waiting for the chaos to begin:
I love how my life is progressing now. Just hope that Avin can arrive soon and safely and everything will turn out fine.
Just can't wait. Simply can't wait to hold my dearest baby in my arms. Mommy loves you so much already my baby Avin!
At week 37 + 3 days: Went for doctor's appointment at his clinic, was 2 cm dilated. And was told baby can come anytime 😂
D-day! 24th November 2016, Thursday
The all-day nausea kicks in!
Plus fatigue, dizziness, headache, constipation, frequent, non-stop and all-day urination, waking up to pee 2-3 times at night, insomnia despite being very tired, total change of palate (e.g. stop eating my usual breakfast, apples, etc.).
Facial acne breakouts, painful and swelling breasts, alternating between having very cold (chills) and very hot (heats) spells in a short span of minutes. One moment I'm trembling in cold, and then next moment I'm heating up and sweating.
Had lots of dreams at night. All funny, lovely, scary, and meaningless ones.
Having bad cough for 3 to 4 months due to atopy (hay fever).
Everyday is unbearable.
Week 6
1st appointment with Doctor (ob/gyn) - very excited. Nausea kicks in full swing especially when stomach is empty. Almost feel like vomiting all the time but didn't - just felt very nauseated. I carry a plastic bag with me all the time, just in case.
Constant headaches esp. in this period of haze and joss paper burning. I feel like running away when I see smokers on the streets. All the smoke gives me throbbing head pain.
No more constipation 😄
Did not exercise due to overall weakness, but continue to do all the housework.
Weight gain steady - at about 0.5kg per week.
To curb nauseousness, I ate lots of ice popsicles made of fruit juice, Milo, milk, milk tea. I also popped pieces of frozen fruit in my mouth.
Week 8
Feeling nauseous the moment I wake up.
Everything seems to be in a blur to me. Not much energy left in my body, even walking is a chore.
Every smell (food, perfume, surroundings) seems to increase nauseousness.
Nothing tastes good 😢
Hot and stale weather makes things worse. The haze is here on and off. Having a breath of fresh air is getting more and more difficult. Finally bought an air purifier with humidifier - instant fresh air! Yay.
Week 9
Torturous, scorching hot, humid days. Rain makes it worse.
Feel like puking whole day.
Dizzy and tired.
Still having chills and heat spells, since week 5. One moment I feel like melting and sweating, next moment I feel extremely cold till I get goosebumps and I'll wrap myself up like an Eskimo. Unbearable feeling.
Doctor said to measure my temperature when I get the heaty spells. And if I hit above 37.5 degrees Celsius, meaning if I have a fever, I'll have to pop a panadol. Fever can cause miscarriage.
Had herbal chicken soup cooked with 'dang gui' and had a bad bout of stomach ache. Had some common street (pasar malam) food and had 3 days of upset stomach again. Fear of miscarriage. But luckily, nothing happened.
2nd Trimester (week 14-27)
Week 18
Finally pulled through to the 2nd trimester...
Nauseousness has finally began to vanish, like magic. Yippie!
Heats and chills have completely stopped 😁
Change of palate again: no longer craving for spicy and sour food like tom yam, curry, peppery soup, chilli, kimchi, achar, pickled chilli, orange, kiwi, pineapple, green apple, etc.
No more obvious food cravings
Sometimes, don't feel like eating at all. Yet sometimes feel like eating 2 meals at one go.
Painful inner thighs, with painful varicose veins.
Felt baby's movements!
Week 22
Detailed baby scan at NUH fetal care centre. We could see all parts of baby clearly - heart, bones, brains, even the face! It's amazing. Didn't remember having this scan for my first child. Everything looks fine. Very happy.
Nauseousness came back in unexpected waves 😩
Can't put on too much weight lest my plantar fasciitis (heel spur) acts up again, and making me unable to walk for days.
Week 25
Baby super kicks!
Nauseousness has finally stopped 😊 but heartburn begins.
Tummy getting bigger and tighter and people have started to notice.
Feeling breathless and bloated thus eating less. But still putting on 1kg every 2 weeks, which is within the recommended weight gain range.
Ate ice popsicles after every meal to cool down because of the humid weather
Did not exercise like I did for my first pregnancy. But still doing a lot of housework.
PS: No weight gain from week 27 to week 29 but thankfully, baby's weight more than doubled (0.6kg at week 26 to 1.45kg at week 30)
3rd Trimester (week 28-40)
Week 31
The craving for sour food returns. Ate a lot of pineapple, green apple, big oranges, guava with plum powder, Subway's chicken teriyaki with cheese and all vegetables with red wine vinegar sauce. And then there are my food court favourites: Korean Saba fish meal with kimchi, vegetarian noodle with sweet and sour tofu, Indonesian chicken set meal. Basically, my diet consists of a lot of chicken, cheese, fish, tofu, fruits and vegetables. Skipped all the vitamins that doctor prescribed, since I ate so consciously and healthily. As eating certain vitamins or supplements (e.g. calcium) can trigger the dreaded constipation!
Felt Braxton Hicks contractions - slightly painful tightening of my tummy. It was as clear as taxes! Didn't have this in my first pregnancy, so it caught me by surprise.
Had 2 bouts of diarrhea episodes that lasted for 2-3 days.
Sleepless nights. Very tired, yet can't fall asleep. Still waking up every night for 1-3 bathroom trips. In the daytime, felt the need to go bathroom every other hour, sometimes within 15 minutes.
Weight gain about 10kg
Continual hair loss
Feet swelled up on 2 occasions only. Prevented this by raising up my leg whenever I sit down.
Week 32
Zika fear! The virus has reached Singapore. Moms around the world are having newborns with 'small head syndromes' (also called microcephaly). It is every parent's nightmare. Apply mosquito repellent every single time I head out.
Had diarrhea again for the 3rd time, for 3 days. Does not seem like food poisoning, just 'pregnancy diarrhea'.
Sleeping and eating more normally now. Had lots of dreams again (is that you BFG?)
Digestion is good, still no constipation and piles, but has a little heartburn.
Feeling heavier and more tired.
Hair loss seems to slow down, finally.
Feels grateful every time doctor says baby is FINE.
Feels grateful every time baby gives a kick or swirls inside me. It means that he's alive. My first child (6 years old) sees and feels those baby movements all the time too and is getting increasingly excited to see his little brother.
Getting everything really ready: Baby car seat, cot, beddings, clothings, hospital bag, and shortlisted list of confinement food caterers and Malay massage ladies. Confinement bath herbs with pails and thermal containers for red date tea are all on standby mode as well.
Still not exercising for this pregnancy but did a lot of housework. Washed down toilets, wiped down windows, cooked, washed and changed bedsheets, swept and mopped floor, did the almost daily laundry, carried groceries home, and walked a lot while running personal or family errands. Research finds that these activities are as good as having moderate exercise if done at least 5 days every week for at least 30 mins each time. At least 150 mins per week of deliberate physical movement is good enough for health.
Week 33
No weight gain from week 30 to week 34. But baby is still gaining (1.8kg). Doctor said to drink more milk, eat more eggs and even durian to gain more weight for this final stretch.
Eating Subway's chicken teriyaki with honey oat bread, at least 3 times a week. Love it. Had lots of fish, tofu, nuts in moderate amounts (a handful per day of almonds, walnuts, cashews, and pistachios), cheese, chicken, vegetables and fruits (esp. pineapple, guava, watermelon, green apples, dried cranberries). Had occasional snack like biscuit, dark chocolate, waffles and ice cream.
PS: I ate a lot of pineapple (thrice per week, a slice each time) for 2nd and 3rd trimester, but I totally avoided it in my 1st trimester to avoid miscarriage.
Week 35
Lower back pain keeping me awake day and night, can't sleep throughout the night, waking up every 20 - 40 minutes. Arghhhh...
Tummy getting heavier, tighter and rock hard. Can see baby kicks clearly on tummy, almost can see his hands or legs when he kicks. Feel a weighty pressure on my groin area.
My outie (protruding belly button) now looks almost like an early hernia. I'm praying it's not!
Getting more and more difficult to breathe, eat, move, get up and walk. Wish everything can end soon. Getting very bored, sick and tired.
But everything seems to be in place now. Just waiting for the chaos to begin:
- Baby Avin's arrival
- Jovie's transition to primary one
- Collection of keys to new flat
- Renovation
- Moving house
I love how my life is progressing now. Just hope that Avin can arrive soon and safely and everything will turn out fine.
Just can't wait. Simply can't wait to hold my dearest baby in my arms. Mommy loves you so much already my baby Avin!
At week 37 + 3 days: Went for doctor's appointment at his clinic, was 2 cm dilated. And was told baby can come anytime 😂
D-day! 24th November 2016, Thursday
At week 38 + 1 day, doctor's appointment at Gleneagles Hospital
9.30 am:
I was 2.5cm dilated, ready for active labour. Asked doctor whether I can deliver on that very day and was given an "Ok"! So, off we go, straight into the labour ward. In fact, we had our hospital bag with us already :)
10.30am:
Geared up for childbirth: I was strapped onto the CTG which monitors baby's heartbeat (120-150) and my contractions (4-120). I was also given antibiotics due to being Group B strep positive. Later, I was given the Pitocin drip to speed up labour and I had my bowels cleared using Fleet. Next, doctor came in to break my waters manually. Then, came the uneventful and quiet waiting period.
11am:
Contractions began. Pain level of 1-2 on a scale of 1 to 10.
12pm:
Hubby went for lunch and doctor came to check on me. 3cm dilated.
1-2pm:
Contraction pain level 2-3. Was constantly reminded to ask for epidural early if I couldn't take the pain, preferably before 5cm dilation. I insisted that I'm sure I didn't want to take epidural again. Arranged for my sister to pick up my older son from the childcare centre as we figured that we couldn't make it in time to fetch him before 7pm.
Doctor said ...Estimated Time of Delivery: 7 to 8pm.
2-5pm:
Pain level gradually increased from 4 to 5 then 6 to 7. It got really unbearable. Once, while I was swaying my hips from side to side to alleviate pain, my hubby grabbed me by my hips thinking that it would help. In fact, by preventing me to sway, it made that particular contraction so painful that I feel like kicking him out of this earth.
Seeing me in distress, hubby encouraged me to use the 'laughing gas' (which consists of 50% Nitrate Oxide and 50% Oxygen). It was heavenly. The peak of the contraction pain was leveled off and thus became bearable. I just have to breathe in the gas at the right time (take in 3 slow breaths just before pain kicks in and then take off the mask till the next wave of pain). Too much of it will make me dizzy and heady (sometimes, I fell asleep for a few seconds). So, it takes a bit of time to get the hang of it. No regrets using this! Much better than epidural.
9.30 am:
I was 2.5cm dilated, ready for active labour. Asked doctor whether I can deliver on that very day and was given an "Ok"! So, off we go, straight into the labour ward. In fact, we had our hospital bag with us already :)
10.30am:
Geared up for childbirth: I was strapped onto the CTG which monitors baby's heartbeat (120-150) and my contractions (4-120). I was also given antibiotics due to being Group B strep positive. Later, I was given the Pitocin drip to speed up labour and I had my bowels cleared using Fleet. Next, doctor came in to break my waters manually. Then, came the uneventful and quiet waiting period.
11am:
Contractions began. Pain level of 1-2 on a scale of 1 to 10.
12pm:
Hubby went for lunch and doctor came to check on me. 3cm dilated.
1-2pm:
Contraction pain level 2-3. Was constantly reminded to ask for epidural early if I couldn't take the pain, preferably before 5cm dilation. I insisted that I'm sure I didn't want to take epidural again. Arranged for my sister to pick up my older son from the childcare centre as we figured that we couldn't make it in time to fetch him before 7pm.
Doctor said ...Estimated Time of Delivery: 7 to 8pm.
2-5pm:
Pain level gradually increased from 4 to 5 then 6 to 7. It got really unbearable. Once, while I was swaying my hips from side to side to alleviate pain, my hubby grabbed me by my hips thinking that it would help. In fact, by preventing me to sway, it made that particular contraction so painful that I feel like kicking him out of this earth.
Seeing me in distress, hubby encouraged me to use the 'laughing gas' (which consists of 50% Nitrate Oxide and 50% Oxygen). It was heavenly. The peak of the contraction pain was leveled off and thus became bearable. I just have to breathe in the gas at the right time (take in 3 slow breaths just before pain kicks in and then take off the mask till the next wave of pain). Too much of it will make me dizzy and heady (sometimes, I fell asleep for a few seconds). So, it takes a bit of time to get the hang of it. No regrets using this! Much better than epidural.
6pm:
At last, I can feel baby coming down my vaginal area. Super painful. There's a fear of myself passing out from the pain. There was a lot of painful pressure below. It really feels like I am having the biggest hard-rock poo of my life, ever. Sorry to sound gross, but it's true. I don't even have to push because it's instinctual. Anyway, you're in too much pain to push. You just let your body and nature do its job. You just need to keep your eye on the prize 👶 and soldier on!
6.29pm:
Then plop - baby has arrived after a few final uterine squeezes! I could feel it slipping out from below. What a wonderful childbirth experience! Baby is crying and fine. He even peed twice upon arrival, once on the father. Then out came the placenta few moments later, which felt like a smaller poo. Afterwhich, I felt my doctor stitching me up (perineal tear). And after resting in the labour ward for 2 hours, I was finally wheeled to my maternity ward.
Phew... 8 hours labour in total.
Now I feel like an invincible superwoman 💪
And finally, finally... my
Homecoming, postpartum, and confinement
I gave birth on Thursday evening and checked out of the hospital on Saturday afternoon. It was a relief to reach home safely with my healthy newborn. He only had slight jaundice so no further treatment was needed. He constantly had dark greenish sticky poo and kept spitting out milk for the first few days after homecoming. Doctor say it's okay as his digestive system has not stabilized yet.
Postpartum uterine contractions were not as painful as for my first pregnancy and I need not take any painkillers. Lochia, or postpartum bleeding was heavy only for the first 2 days and it gradually slowed down to a trickle for the next 3 weeks.
On the second week, my breasts were engorged, and nipples were sore and bruised especially after baby sucked at nothing for the first 3 days (milk supply came in on the 4th day after giving birth). A Malay lady came to my house to give me Jamu massage and also relieved my breast engorgement. I could pump bottles of milk (40ml-100ml at one time for both breasts) after just two massage sessions. I must highlight, hubby is the confinement daddy! He took about one month of leave to help me around the house, buy groceries and took care of our first child who had a 2 week bout of illness in that very month.
I had the usual red date tea with longan and goji berries (I couldn't stomach plain water), and ordered natal confinement tingkat (meals) for 28 days which is said to reduce 'wind' and boost/restore your physical health with ginger and all sorts of Chinese herbs.
There was soreness and swelling at my vagina area and peeing was painful. I also had incontinence (peeing while coughing) which improved after a few days. I did not feel as weak, tired, heaty and sweaty as I did during my first pregnancy (basically, I don't feel like I have just given birth). I was about 53 kg before pregnant, then I put on 10kg (63 kg), and was 58 kg immediately after giving birth. Then, I put on 2-3 kg after that because breastfeeding makes me sooo hungry so I just ate everything until I felt satisfied. I was also bloated after giving birth due to water retention.
On the third week, I developed painful piles (even though I don't suffer from chronic constipation like I did for my 1st child) and had carpel tunnel syndrome (CTS, electric-shock like pain and weakness on both wrists and hands). Went for my postpartum check up 6 week after giving birth where the doctor scanned and checked whether my uterus has shrunk to its pre-pregnancy size and a Pap smear was done as well. Asked doctor about my painful wrist (CTS) and he said it might be largely due to water retention which presses on my nerves and that he could prescribe medications to alleviate the pain, but I'll have to stop breastfeeding. I rejected the offer since doctor said the pain will go away gradually, which did happen after about 4 months. It's also around this time that the postpartum hair loss began. Hair fell out continuously throughout the day, especially when bathing.
But the good news is, 6 months after giving birth, all the pain and suffering I've mentioned is almost gone and I am now back to my prepregnancy weight - although, there are still loose skin and fats around my tummy, thighs and arms. I'll continue to avoid sugar and white rice/bread and eat healthy proteins (salmon, chicken, other omega 3 fat rich foods), and loads of vegetables and fruits and drink loads of water. I'll continue to keep myself active everyday by doing all the housework (sweep, mop, scrub, wipe, iron, and cook), continuing my grocery runs and school runs, shopping for home essentials, and walk whenever I could. All this with my baby strapped onto me. 😍🚼 Sports shoes and fit flop are my best friends now.
The end...